Feed-grinder and feeding-machine.



A. F. MEYER. FEED GRINDER AND FEEDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2,19l4-- RENEWED JUNE 23| I915.

Patented Feb. 15, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I- Flfj'e;

- hue/7Z3:

.iltd

I'HE LULUMBIA PLANOGRQFH CU. WASHINGTON, D. C.

A.'F. MEYER.

FEED GRINDER AND FEEDING MACHINE,

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2, 1914. RENEWED JUNE 23.1915.

SHEET 2.

Patented Feb. 15

2 S HEETS mnum... u... mm

A umuuum m5 COLUMBXA PLANOGRAPH ccv. WASHINGTON, n. c.

ALFRED r. MEYER, or MORTON, IILIJZNOIS.

FEED-GRINDER AND FEEDING-MACHINE.

Application filed March 2, 1914, Serial No. 822,042.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED F. MEYER, citizen of the United States,residing at Morton, in the county of Tazewell and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Feed-Grinders andFeeding-i lachines; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will en ableothers skilled in the art to which it ape pertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to a feed grinde and feeding device.

It relates more particularly to a feed grinder operated by animals inthe act of feeding therefrom. V An object of the invention is toconstruct a feed grinder operated by animals, such as hogs, theoperation of the grinding members or burs to reduce the feed beingproduced by a reciprocating movement imparted to one or more receptaclesfrom which the animals feed. I

Another'object is to produce a feed grindin machine whose grindingdevices or burs can he operated to grindi'eed by. animals feeding fromcertain receptacles Without requiring the animals to move around the machine. I

Still another object is toprovide a feed grinding machine operatedbyanimals feeding therefrom, the construction being such that the animalswill not be required'to move around the machine. a To the end that theinvention may be understood l have provided the accompanying drawings,in which,

Figure 1 is a horizontal section of my said grinder showing portionsbroken away to show operating parts. Fig. 1 shows a guide member inperspective. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the machine shown inFig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a portion of the machine in perspective. Figs. 4; and 5 aredetails. of'a ratchet mechanism. p a

A indicates abase, preferably a casting of light strong form, havingdepending radiating legs B'to elevate the base above the ground, asshown. Mounted on the elevated portion on suitable studs C is a seriesofoperating members to .be rotated by movements of the animal. These saidmembers each consists of a pinion, D and a ratchet wheel E securedrelatively rigid; The members thus provided are all arranged in aeircledescribed. tram the .centerof. thezbase,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Said

Patented'I eb. 15, 1916. Renewed June 23, 1915. Serial No. 35,940.

there being. at said center an upright rod F mounted securely at itslower endin-any suitable manner in said base; 'G is a ring gearrotatable about andhaving its bearing upon the said rod F, all of thepinions of the series of described members meshing with it. I

gear has a central hub supported upon balls J restingin a cup K ,of thesaid base A.

Secured to thesaid hub in any suitable manner isone end of a sleeve L-adapted to turn upon the rod F and carrying the lower bur of a pair ofburs M at its upper; end, the

other bur of the pair terminatingthe lower end of a hopper portion M ofthe machine, said burs adapted for grinding or reducing the grain orfeed.

N representsa 'cylindricalwall or inclosure which is spaced above theportions B of the base A by supportsO, Fig. 3, being secured to saidportions B in any suitable manner.

P P representtwohorizontally disposed guide arms of a V-shaped memberthe open guide portions facing one another, see ig. Fig. 1. One of thesemembers in its onepiece form lies astride each ofthe supports 0, F igzB.The inner end of the member is suitably secured-to a projection S on thebase A'and the outer ends of the guides P are supported on theextremities of U- shaped strips T moimted on the portion B of said base.

U is a plate slidably mounted in two op f posite guide arms P, and V isan A-shaped member secured on said plate U and constituting a to feed.

-W is'aneye extending from the pointed end of the A-shapedmember V, andXis a ratchet Ibar having 'a hook to engage said eye the teethwof thebar being adapted to engage the ratchet wheel E previously described.

2 is a compression spring interposed between the member V and a part ofthe base A and'ad'apted to hold the pocket V in its outermost positionIn their normal or: outer-, most positions the members V lie with theirpointed ends just inside the wall of in closure N, see Fig. 1. v8 is acone shaped deflecsnugly tor, having a circular basefitting within andagainst the said wall or inclosureN and in its periphery above the pointof eachmember V it is provided with a discharge opening l. Saiddeflectoreis termedwithbr secured to: said deflector pocketfrom whichthe animal'is l a surface indicated at 8 which lies farther raisedportions 5 which lie between the discharge openings 4: and cause thefeed descending upon the deflector to be guided into all of the holes 4Lso as to fall into said members V. p

The relation of one of the rack bars X which operates the ratchet wheelsE is clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5. of the bar and the wheel are soconstructed that they engage in one another in such a way that afterbeing engaged they cannot become disengaged while pressure is keptuponthe bar and the more pressure is applied the more positively the twoseries of teethwill engage, although, of course, in an oppositedirection provision is made for the teeth of the ratchet bar and theratchet teeth to pass one another. Extending upward from the base A andspaced from each ratchet bar in its wheel engaging position is a stop 6,see Figs. 2, at and 5. This stopis spaced from the'ratchet wheel adistance substantially equal to-twice the depth of the teeth of thelatter or equal to the depth of one of the teeth of the ratchet bar andone-of the teeth of the wheel in order that when the ratchet bar movesby the wheel in changing from the position shown in Fig. 4: to thatshown in Fig. 5 where the teeth must pass one another, the stop willreadily permit this action. The free or inner end of the ratchet bar isprovided with a lug 7 which engages the stop 6 in the outward movementof the bar, as shown in Fig. 5, and limits the said outward movementofthe latter. In addition to the portion 7 the said bar has an enlargementproviding from the ratchet wheel than the other portion of said bar insuch a position that as the ratchet bar takes up the position shown inFig. 5 the said surface 8 will engage the stop 6, said bar being causedto move toward the wheel after the teeth of said bar have passed saidwheel. The surface of the bar adjacent the wheel is devoid of teethinthe last described position so that the ratchet wheel will be free toturn when the parts lie in this position. By this means any one of theratchetsof the entire series may be turned without hindrance.

In the operation of the machine the material to be reduced is placed inthehopper M, a small amount at the same time being placed in each of thefeeding pockets V close up into the angle of the same. The animal inattempting to reach the feed performs the natural act of rooting andthis act forces the pocket inward to it is thus made to turn the ratchetwheel E and the pinion D, the latter imparting a movement to the gearsleeve L imparts movement to the lower of the burs M. The reducedmaterial falling from the burs moves down the deflector be? The teethandthe ratchet bar attached G and through it the all can perform the sameact in actuating the ratchet'bar; that of rotating the gear G and thebur. The springs 2 return the members V to their outward positions uponthe release of pressure of the animal so that they are always inposition to be operated in the manner described.

In grinding devices of this nature of which I am aware and commonlyknown as hog motors the construction is such that a hog in feeding iscompelled to travel around the machine in order to obtain the food andoperate the feed reducing parts his is objectionable in that animalsthat are to'be fattened run off theflesh' that the owner is attemptingto put on by heavy feeding.

In my device the animals can stand in oneposition and grind the requiredfeed by the common and natural rooting method and the fat laid on byheavy feeding will not be lost by too much exercise as in operatingmachines of the older forms.

The ratchet wheel E and the pinions D i may be changed with regard totheir re spective sizes so that the gear G may receive a greater or lessdegree of arotation in a given movement of the ratchet bar. That is'tosay, with a given vsizeof pinion D a ratchet wheel of much smaller sizewill result in imparting a greater extent of movement to the gear G thanthough the ratchet wheel were the same size as the pinion or larger.

It is not my purpose to be confined to any particular construction in mymachine nor to the arrangement of parts described since various changesmaybe made by which the desired results may beobtained, the main,

purpose of which, as intimated herein, is that the animal is allowed toremain quiet in feeding while operating the bur by the movement of hissnout as in the ordinary act of rooting. Consequently my machine isbased upon the reciprocating movement of a feed holding receptacle ortray adapted to impart movement to a grinding device for the reductionof feed by an animal feeding from said tray. It is a well known factthat feed when ground is better for animals than the unground grainbecause it is more easily digested and more fattening. For this reasonall feeders of stock grind or reduce the whole feedof'whatever nature itmay be, in a suitable reduction apparatus, special work and power belngrequired in the process. It has been found that the animals 1 themselvescan grindthe feed if a. suitable apparatusis providedifor thepurposeandi this has been combined uvith a feedingdevice arranged sothat while feeding-theanr In one or two instances this has been done byproviding acombinedfeeding and grinding machine but wherein the animalmust walk around the machine, pushing ahead of it the tray from which itfeeds, to operate the grinding portions. It is my purpose to mount thetray in such a way, as differing from the plan described, that theanimals are not re quired. to move from a position they may take infeeding from the tray and will not runofi"- their fat, and all of themcan quietly feed and more" of the animals can feed at one time from themachine than otherwise. It is found that comparatively littleeflort isneeded to operate a grinding apparatus of this-nature so thatinstead ofrequiring the animals to be constantly on the move, the mere movement ofthe head in feeding accomplishes the purposer By this method any oneanimal by the operation of an individual tray at which he'feeds canoperate the grinding parts, and he is not required when feeding alone tooperate the whole machine the operating portion of which he has controlbeing independent of the other parts.

1 preferably attach the ratchet bars X to the feeding pockets by meansof the hooks and eyes described in order that the machine can be quicklyassembled and that it will not require belts or screws for attachingthese portions. Furthermore, if one of the parts becomes broken a newportion can be readily put in place in a moment or two.

From the fact that the normal positions of the ratchet bars are in theposition shown in Fig. 5 being held in that position by the springs 2,there is nothing to prevent the free rotation of the gear G by pressureupon any one of the ratchet bars through its respective feeding'pocket.a a

The pockets V may be mounted in any other manner than that shown sinceit is not necessary, particularly, that they have a sliding movement butthey may be mounted soa's to have any other kind of movement, such as apivotal one and yet perform the same office.

The lower edge of the inclosure or wall N i is preferably turned inwardas shown in Fig. :2 in order that the: feed droppingthrough the openingse of the deflector will be guided by said inturned edge into the anglesof the pockets V. V

Having thus described my invention, I claim z- 1'.- In a machine of theclass described, the combination of a. grinding device, amemberoperatively connected to said grin-ding de vice, a cup or tray adaptedfor a reciprocating or vibratory movement arranged to receive materialfrom said grinding device, and adapted to be movedbyia-n animal feed;

or at their outermost positions,

ing from it and including means to operatively engage the member, andmeans to carryand guidefthe said cup or tray in its reciprocatingmovements,

-2. In a machine of the-class described,the

combination of a grindingdevice,'rotatable r means operatively connectedto it, a feeding cup or tray mounted for a reciprocating movementadapted to bermoved in one direction by an animalfeeding from it,'and,

arranged to receive reduced'material from said grinding device, andadapted in its said movements to impart movementto-said rotat'ablemeans. i v a 3. In a feed grinding machine, thecombination of a grindingdevice, a member operatively connected to the same, a" feed cup or traymounted tohave a reciprocating motion relative to the grinding deviceand arranged to receive from the latter material reduced by it andoperated by the nose of an animal fedingfi'om it and including a part toengage and operate saidmember.

i. In a feed grindingmachine, the combination of a grinding device, amember op r eratively connected to the same, a fee'dgcup or tray mountedto have a reciprocating motion relative to the grinding deviceandarranged to receive from the latter material V reduced by it andoperated by the nose of an animal feeding from it and including a partto engage and operate said member, and means constantly tending tooperate the said cup-or tray elastically in opposit-ion'to the movementimparted by the animal. a

5; Ina machine of the class described, the combination of a feedgrinding device, a rotatable member operatively connected to it, feedingcup or tray adapted for a reciprocating movement and operated by ananimal feeding directly from said cup or tray, and mechanismintermediate the cup or pocket and the rotatable member to en-' gage thelatter and, impart movement to it I in the movement of-the said cup ortray.

'6. In a machine of the character described, the combination of agrinding device, a member operatively connected with said device torotate it, a feeding cup or" tray adapted for a reciprocating movementand operated by an animal'feeding from it, and in position to receivereduced material from said grinding device, means to supportthe'saidicup ortray, and a part'carried by said cup or tray adapted toengage, and

i move said member.

7. In a machine of the character described, the combinationof agrindingdevice, a rotatable member operatively connected therewith, areciprocating feeding cup or tray adapted to be operated by an animalfeeding directly'from it, a pinion in permanent engagement with therotatable member, and a part carriedby the cup or traygiadikptcdgicimpart movement. to I the,

scribed, the combination. with a grinding device, a memberoperatively-connected with it, a feed cup or tray adapted to have areciprocating movement imparted by an animal feeding from it andreceiving reduced material. from the grinding device, a device operatedby the cup or tray and operatively engaging the member, and means todirect the reduced material from the grinding device into said cup orpocket.

9. In a machine of the-class described, a feed grinding device, afeeding tray' arranged to receive feed device adapted for areciprocating move ment imparted to it by an animal feeding from it, asupport; to carry the tray and mechanism interposed betweenthe tray andthe grinding device including a part thereof operatively connected tothe latter operated by the tray tojrotate saidgrinding device.

10. In a. machine of the class described adapted to be operated byan-animal feeding therefrom, a feed grinding device, a part to receivethe reduced material therefrom, a

support, a rotatable member operatively connected to said device, afeeding .tray underlying and adapted to receive feed from said part andmounted upon the support and adapted to. have a reciprocating motion andmoved in one directionby the animal feeding out of said tray, elasticmeans to move the tray in opposition to the pressure of the animal, anda part moved by the tray to engage and rotate said rotatable member.

11.. In a machine of the class described, a hopper and a grindingdevice, a wheel operatively connected to the grinding device forrotating it, a support, a pinion mounted on the support and havingengagement with.

the wheel, a ratchet wheel fixed relatively to the pinion, a it ismounted and adapted to have movement, said cup or pocket adapted to bemoved by an animal. feeding fromit, a

ratchet bar attached to the pocket and adapted in one direction. ofmovement of the pocket to engage the ratchet wheel, and elastic meansadapted to move the tray in opposition to the-movement imparted. to itby the animal.

12. In a machine of the class described,

the combination of a series of feeding trays each arranged to receivereduced feed, a grindingdevice from which the matemal is delivered tosaid trays, mechanism inter posed between the trays and the grindingdevice said travs bein inde oendentl 0 er- 7 a b able and each operatedby an animal in feeding from it, and each adapted to separatelyengageand operate said mechanism.

from. said grinding feeding tray, means on which 13. In a machine of theclass described v the combination of a; grinding devicepa. series offeeding trays arranged to receive the reduced feed from said device, andeach moved by an animal feedingfrom it and mounted to move independentlyof one. another, and mechanism. interposed between 2 the trays and thedevice and arranged for transmitting movement from each of the.

a reciprocating motion independent of $011.6: another imparted ,byanimals feeding sepaa.

rately from each, mechanism interposed be tween the grinding device andthe trays-and operated by any one of said trays independ-l entlyof theothers of .said trays to reduce the feed, and means in any position ofthe latter.

15. In a machine onthe class described, the combination or a feedreduclngdevice to deliver thereduced: feed from said device into all :ofthe trays and an operating ;mechanism therefor,a.a

series of independently movable trays each operated by an animalfeedingfrom it and also independently to operatively engagethe same, said trayseach being arranged to receive reduced feed from. said device in anyposition thereof. e

16. Ina machine of the character described, the combination of agrinding device, series of trays mounted for movement independent of andrelative to one another, mechanism: operatively connected with thegrinding device, and separate means operated. by each of the trays. forseparately engaging and. impartingmovementto said mechanism, the latter.when. operated by one of the trays moving; inde-s pendently of andrelatively .to t; e other another, mechanism operatively connected\viththe grinding. device, separate means operated by each of the traysfor separately engaging and impartingmovementito said mechanism, thelatter when operatedby one of the trays moving independently of andrelatively to the other trays, and means 111+ terposed between thegrinding device and the trays and overhanging each of the latter andadapted to direct reduced material delivering from the said grindingdevice into each of said trays.

l8. In a machine of the character de-' scribed,the combination of agrinding 116:

vice, a member operatively connected to said grinding ..device, a. .cup..01?- tray. ounted 5 whereby to have a reciprocating or vibratorymovement arranged to receive from said grinding device material reducedtherein and including means to intermittently engage and operate thesaid member, said cup or tray receiving movement by pressure of the noseof the animal against it in the act of feeding therefrom.

19. In a feed grinder,a grinding device, a feed tray arranged to receivematerial reduced by said grinding device, said tray being mounted for aforward and back motion, a ratchet member, a pawl operated by Copies ofthis patent may be obtained for the tray and adapted inalternate-movements to engagesaid ratchet member to impart movementthereto by pressure of an animal feeding from the tray, means to retractthe tray and said pawl, and gearing interposed between the said ratchetmember and said grinding device.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature,

in presence of tWo witnesses.

. ALFRED F. MEYER. W'itnesses:

W. I. SLEMMoNs,

EUNICE M. BECKUM.

Washington, D. 0.

